Jawlines have been a point of contention since at least the first Superman comics.
The chiselled, razor-sharp lines of Clark Kent’s lower face have time-travelled through the decades and still remain the aesthetic ideal for many.
Who doesn’t want their face to be compared to a superhero's?
Having said features may be more beneficial than you think. A study conducted by New York plastic surgeon Dr. Darrick Antell shows that people see stronger chins to be consistent with authority and confidence. After surveying the profiles of Fortune 500 CEOs, at least 90% were deemed to have a more chiselled jawline.
Perhaps not uncoincidentally, a study published by the National Institutes of Health earlier this year indicated 'an increase in male-centered plastic surgery procedures' from data collected in 2021 from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
Part of it was accountable to an increase in jawline procedures.
Call it the Zoom Effect. After two years of unflattering views from the laptop camera below, it's hardly surprising that the jaw has come into focus.
“This has become more of a bigger phenomenon, it wasn't as big of a deal ten to fifteen years ago,” explains L.A-based plastic surgeon and founder of eponymous skincare brand Dr. Simon Ourian, whose celebrity clientele have made him a sought-after name for facial contouring.
“I started [jawline procedures] 20 years ago. Back then there was only implants available, and then I decided that maybe I could put some fillers in and it ended up working. That's become my go-to for a lot of men to create a very chiselled, youthful appearance very quickly.”
The search for more defined facial features has taken over TikTok to jaw-dropping extremes; #betterjawline has two million views, while #jawline has a staggering 5.1 billion. And much like the search for hair loss solutions on the app, content comes in the form of supposed solutions.
Not to be confused with a cat’s instinctual call, 'mewing' is the act of moving your tongue to touch the roof of your mouth, reshaping your jawline. TikTok offers tips on how to properly mew, as well as the purported results: a chiselled jaw in two seconds flat.
On face value, this seems like a short-term solution designed to suspend your turkey neck during selfies. But head over to the mewing Reddit thread and it’s a different story. 'Before' and 'after' pics are prefaced with a month, sometimes years-long timespan, posted to inform the community about how transformative the technique can be.
“You could probably get the same effects from chewing gum, and you have to be really aggressive with it to get that chiselled jawline,” says Dr. Ourian. “You have to do it for a couple of years to build that muscle up.”
He goes on to note that there’s not much point doing so if you have a lot of fat around your jaw or neck anyway, as that will mask any muscle definition you may gain.
Also, it could create more problems down the line.
“I don't see a huge harm in doing this muscle exercise, I think it’s good to make your muscles stronger. However, if you overdo it, there's a chance that you may get TMJ, Temporomandibular Joint Pain, which is when muscles become overactive. That could become a bigger issue than just aesthetics.”
But that's not the only solution that's regularly touted on the social media site. Often spoken about in the skincare sphere, Gua Sha is a Chinese medical practice that involves using a smooth-edged tool to massage your skin. Doing so improves circulation and is said to leave your skin glowing and de-puffed.
Repeated studies have shown that Gua Sha has more benefits than just aesthetics, including the easing of migraine pain. But there are some TikTok users who will also argue that it helps create that Clark Kent jaw, too.
Kitsch Stainless Steel Gua Sha Tool
Kitsch Stainless Steel Gua Sha Tool
“I see the advantage of that, at least temporarily, because you're creating lymphatic drainage and reducing some swelling,” says Dr. Ourian. “If you’ve had a rough night or you haven't slept enough, you can move some of the liquid away from your face. But that's just the liquid. You're not removing fat, you're not building a muscle and you're not building bones.”
The truth of the matter is that if you drastically want to change your jawline, it’ll have to be done with the help of a medical professional. As Dr. Ourian says: “There's no quick procedure or home remedy to create jawlines... yet.”
At Dr. Ourian’s clinic, patients have the option of using Neustem dermal filler – a relatively new injectable – in their jaw to build on what’s there and create the desired shape.
Elsewhere, you could opt for Kybella; another injectable that works to dissolve the fat cells beneath the chin, creating a more streamlined facial structure.
There’s also surgery – neck liposuction or lift – but that works best for people who are looking to remove fat rather than build on what they have.
Perhaps it would be simpler and easier to just buy a ring light?
